THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART 
29 
ment. In 1858, when the Smithsonian building had been 
finished, and its museum and library halls partly furnished, all of 
the Government collections, which a few years before had passed 
to the custody of the Commissioner of Patents, were transferred 
to the Smithsonian Institution. The collections of the National 
Institute were not turned over until 1862, upon the termination 
of its charter and in accordance with its terms. 
In the list which follows are enumerated such of the art 
objects contained in the museum of the National Institute, 
whether belonging to the society or to the Government, as are 
clearly indicated by the records. Since, however, the records 
are very imperfect, it has not been possible to determine the 
original ownership in all cases, and it is also certain that the 
list is far from complete, as many engravings and other works 
known to have been received from Europe are not accounted for. 
No catalogue of the objects as transferred from the society 
and the Patent Office to the Smithsonian Institution has been 
found,® and in the absence of such a list it is impossible to say 
which of the examples of art enumerated below were actually 
received by the Institution, except as they were mentioned in 
early Smithsonian reports or are now in the possession of the 
National Museum, as explained further on. Some were unfortu- 
nately destroyed in the Smithsonian fire of 1865. 
It is interesting to note in this connection the existence in 
Washington as early as 1836 of a small private museum of 
a A catalogue of the collections of the National Institute, by Alfred 
Hunter, was published in several editions beginning with 1854, two appear- 
ing before the transfer of the Government material in 1858, and at least 
one subsequently, but before the collections belonging to the Institute 
were turned over to the Smithsonian. None of the editions is complete 
or reliable. The title of the second edition is as follows: A Popular Cata- 
logue of the Extraordinary Curiosities in the National Institute, arranged 
in the building belonging to the Patent Office. Curiosities collected from 
all parts of the world, by the officers of the Army and Navy of the United 
States. Curios and strange articles, presented by private individuals. 
Revolutionary relics of extraordinary interest. Articles of immense value, 
presented to the United States Government and its officers, deposited 
here according to law. Articles collected by the United States Exploring 
Expedition, under Commander Wilkes, at a cost to Government of several 
millions of dollars, etc. Second edition. Washington: Published by 
Alfred Hunter, 1855. 
